[vsnet-grb-info 24381] GRB 191218A: Swift detection of a burst

[GCN Circulars]

TITLE:   GCN CIRCULAR
NUMBER:  26480
SUBJECT: GRB 191218A: Swift detection of a burst
DATE:    19/12/18 02:51:29 GMT
FROM:    David Palmer at LANL  <palmer at lanl.gov>

E. Troja (NASA/GSFC/UMCP), N. J. Klingler (PSU),
A. Y. Lien (GSFC/UMBC), M. J. Moss (GWU), K. L. Page (U Leicester),
D. M. Palmer (LANL), M. H. Siegel (PSU) and A. Tohuvavohu (U Toronto)
report on behalf of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory Team:

At 02:42:43 UT, the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) triggered and
located GRB 191218A (trigger=944916).  Swift did not slew to this burst due
to a Sun constraint. 
The BAT on-board calculated location is 
RA, Dec 301.078, -40.274 which is 
   RA(J2000) = 20h 04m 19s
   Dec(J2000) = -40d 16' 25"
with an uncertainty of 3 arcmin (radius, 90% containment, including 
systematic uncertainty).  The BAT light curve showed a double-peaked
structure with a duration of about 60 sec.  The peak count rate
was ~4000 counts/sec (15-350 keV), at ~0 sec after the trigger. 

Due to a Sun observing constraint, Swift cannot slew to the BAT
position until 12:12 UT on 2020 February 27. There will thus be no XRT
or UVOT data for this trigger before this time. 

Burst Advocate for this burst is E. Troja (eleonora.troja AT nasa.gov). 
Please contact the BA by email if you require additional information
regarding Swift followup of this burst. In extremely urgent cases, after
trying the Burst Advocate, you can contact the Swift PI by phone (see
Swift TOO web site for information: http://www.swift.psu.edu/)